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03/23/2022 08:30 AMThe Clinton Human Rights Advisory Committee formed last year is looking to have more of a footprint in Clinton. One of the people helping lead that charge is the committee’s chair, Tom Shultz.
Last July, the Town Council unanimously voted to form a committee with a purpose of promoting “mutual understanding and respect within the Town of Clinton among all racial, religious, ethnic, and other groups and among individuals of differing genders, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities.” The committee will hold events as well as study possible opportunities for new town initiatives.
After officially forming, the committee elected Tom to be chair.
“We’re officially an advisory committee to the Town Council so we have no real authority. What we do is try to promote a climate of understanding through education,” says Tom.
To achieve that goal, Tom says the committee will set up different events through partnerships with civic organizations and businesses and recommendations made to the Town Council for new programs or initiatives that should be considered.
Tom says the committee has begun having conversations with the school community and library as a start.
Due to the committee being relatively new, the Tom says that the commission didn’t do many events in 2021 but hopes to change that in 2022.
“For example, Dec. 10 is International Humans Rights Day. We did something small this December, but maybe next year we can work with the schools and have a more extensive celebration,” says Tom.
At press time, Tom says he was meeting with the Henry Carter Hull Library and that he hopes to set up a weekly speaker series in the summer.
“Maybe we can do a weekly speaker series with music and poetry and things like that in the garden area there,” Tom says.
“What we’re trying to do is connect with all these different community groups and get them all together to see if we can message well in our town,” says Tom. “I think it’s very important work. One of the best parts is meeting different people and talking.”
Tom says the idea for the committee came about over a year ago in conversation with together members of the Democratic Town Committee, of which Tom is a member, as something that might be a good idea for Clinton.
“I due want to stress that...this is a nonpolitical thing. We work to keep the politics out of it,” Tom clarifies.
“When I first heard about the idea, I was interested and I didn’t have any other major projects going on, so I was in,” says Tom. “Guilford had the same thing set up two years ago, so we followed their format as a model and it was easy to get set up. We have some really good people on the committee.”
Tom says that those interested in the committee’s work can check the town website www.clintonct.org for more information.
The Human Rights Committee isn’t the only way that some residents might know Tom. Tom has been an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals for about two years.
“I find it really interesting and I really like it,” says Tom.
Before that, he was a member of the Historic District Commission, has volunteered to work the polls during votes, and can be found picking up litter around town. Tom was also a board member of Forgotten Felines for about five years.
Additionally, Tom has volunteered with various organizations in the area using his expertise in graphic design.
“Over the years, people have asked me for graphic design things. I’m working with the [Clinton] Arts Council a bit now and I’ve worked with the Henry Carter Hull Library before,” Tom says.
Tom says that he’s been interested in volunteering for most of his life, whether it be on political campaigns or on community improvement projects.
“I just think we need to try to do more if we have the ability to do so,” says Tom.
Tom describes himself as “an Air Force brat” who moved around a lot as kid, not only in this country but as far away as Germany.
“I think that’s one of the best parts of my life. I feel like it helped me understand about the greater world,” says Tom.
As for his interest in volunteering and politics, Tom credits his time spent growing up in Washington D.C., where he says he spent most of his childhood.
Tom moved to Connecticut in 1989 and has lived in Clinton for about 30 years. For work Tom is a graphic artist, a career he has enjoyed.
“Art gets to be both my vocation and my hobby, which I think is great,” he says.
In his spare time, Tom can be found studying guitar, watching films, working on two book projects, and traveling.
“I really love the beauty of Clinton and I find to be a friendly place,” Tom says.